Stands Out

Virgin Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Virgin Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50.5% ABV
$15
Virgin Bourbon

What the Bottle Says

This is distilled by Heaven Hill, but isn’t mentioned on their web-site – so here’s what the bottle says (beyond the name).

Rare 101 Proof
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Charcoal Filtered
Bottled in Kentucky by Meadowland Distilling Co. Bardstown, Kentucky
An Old-Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon Distilled in the foothills of Kentucky. Charcoal Filtered to give every drop that Olde Mellow flavor.
This rare whiskey has been bottled at a full 101 Proof. Rich . . . Robust and Hearty . . . it is American’s finest bourbon.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich caramel, vanilla, honey, oak and smoke, cut hay, dried cherries, cinnamon with a hint of anise and clove.
Palate:  Sweet with caramel and vanilla, oak, a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon, clove and pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long with spices and oak.
Comments:  This is a pretty limited distribution product (mainly in North Carolina), and until 2019 was age stated at 7 years. For an under $20 bottle, this is a damn solid bourbon. And I really like the bottle & label! It has a nice texture with some of the lettering embossed/raised, that just has that classic bottling feel. I was gifted a sample in either late 2019 or early 2020, but picked up a non-age stated bottle while in Ashville just to be certain (and if the sample was of the age stated version, at least this batch hasn’t changed significantly). I decided to do a blind side-by-side with some Wild Turkey 101 (also non-age stated) which I am a fan of, and this was a bit sweeter by comparison and actually had a bit of a longer finish. If you’re even going through North Carolina (or live there but have avoided this as a ‘bottom shelfer’), I’d definitely give it a try.

Rating: Stands Out; Great Value

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Wheel Horse Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Wheel Horse Bourbon Batch 1
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50.5% ABV
$28-32
Website
Wheel Horse Bourbon
We would like to thank Wheel Horse Whiskey and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

This sour mash, small batch whiskey is made from 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley. It’s distilled in copper stills then matured in hand-selected, 53-gallon, charred American oak barrels for between two and four years. We use a #4 char. Like all of our small batch whiskeys, Wheel Horse Bourbon is bottled at 101 proof and without chill filtration.

Wheel Horse is distilled and matured at Owensboro Distilling (formerly O.Z. Tyler) in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Tasting Notes: A rich and spicy Bourbon with notes of maple syrup, cherry, pecan and toasted oak.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, caramel, corn flakes, charred oak, hint of maple candies.
Palate:  Rich sweetness, caramel, cherries, vanilla, cinnamon and pepper spice bite with notes of maple syrup.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, damp with caramel and pepper spice.
Comments:  This is a dark bourbon for a mix of 2-4 year old whiskey. Fairly oaky for a young whiskey, so I’d guess this was aged pretty high in the rick house. A tad sharp, although takes water well which brings out a bit of chocolate and more cherry. Appreciate the non-chill filtration, which does give it a nice rich mouthfeel. Makes a solid Old Fashioned if you enjoy that sorta thing.

Rating: Stands Out

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Yellowstone 2020 Limited Edition

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Yellowstone 2020 Limited Edition
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Finished in Armagnac Casks

50.5% ABV
$100
Website
Yellowstone 2020 Limited Edition
We would like to thank Limestone Branch and Common Ground PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Producer Says

The 2020 edition of Yellowstone® Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon will be on shelves in September, just in time for National Bourbon Heritage Month. This year’s edition features a seven-year-old straight bourbon finished in French Armagnac barrels. The new release brings a soft leather aroma with hints of honeydew melon, vanilla notes on the palate with hints of burnt orange and dried plum. The finish is toasted coconut with lingering oak making for a well-rounded, deeply satisfying bourbon.

“When I began working on this limited edition, I knew I wanted to finish our bourbon in a cask and I was looking for one that would add complexity and a dimension that expands the flavor profile,” says Steve Beam, master distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery. “Armagnac is a rustic, full-bodied spirit that contributes dark fruit notes, complementing the vanilla notes in the bourbon. Just like a chef adds spices to enhance flavors, I believe cask-finishing should be similar, where it simply enhances the natural flavors in the bourbon.”

Beam also notes that the French brandy, which uses several different grape varietals each with their own flavors and characteristics, creates a rich flavor and packs a bit more punch than cognacs.

The 2020 Yellowstone Limited Edition also boasts a stunning new bottle, which feels timeless and vintage, similar to Yellowstone Bourbon, which has been around since 1872. The new premium bottle, designed by David Cole, also highlights the year more prominently for collectors.

Approximately 5,000 cases of this bourbon are being produced at Limestone Branch Distillery, bottled at 101 proof in 750ml bottles. The suggested retail price is $99.99.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, leather, oak, fudge, subtle notes of cinnamon baked apples, floral with a hint of brandy.
Palate:  Vanilla, honey, orange zest, slight pepper bite, nutmeg and apricot.
Finish:  Moderately long with oak, cinnamon and vanilla fudge trailing.
Comments:  The Armagnac finish is subtle on the nose, a bit more pronounced on the palate, but balanced nicely throughout. It definitely adds a nice fruity layer of complexity. The packaging change is also a nice touch for this limited edition. A bit of water tamps the edge on the palate and brings out the fruit notes more. I’ve had the privilege to try samples for the past three Yellowstone Limited Editions, and this might be my favorite (don’t have any left to compare against – I also really liked the 2018). The more of these finishes that are done well (which in my opinion means they’re not too aggressive, and don’t overwhelm the base bourbon), the more I like what they bring to the bourbon party.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Kamiki Maltage Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Kamiki Maltage Whisky
Blended Malt Whisky Finished in Cedar Casks

48% ABV
$79
Website
Kamiki Whisky
We would like to thank Kamiki Whisky for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

KAMIKI WHISKY | Perfectly balanced with heather honey, sweet caramel, Japanese plum, balanced oak, peat and toffee with hints of sandalwood and green tea. Non chill-filtered at 48% alcohol to keep its natural flavors at maximum. Blended at its peak flavor, rather than a predetermined ratio. As a result, each batch is unique and limited with stocks.

OUR WHISKY | We wanted to celebrate the timeless alcohol tradition of the region by blending a Japanese style whisky that harmonizes Japanese nature and artisanship.

OUR BLEND | We choose rare Japanese malt whiskies, finest malt whiskies from the rest of the world and fuse this unique blend with the highest quality pure spring water from Japan.

OUR UNIQUE SECOND MATURATION | Yoshino Sugi, most commonly known in English as the “Japanese Cedar” is indigenous to Japan. For centuries it is being used to make temples. Japanese Cedar is also known for its pleasant fragrance and soft texture that help calm the mind and the body.

OUR CITY | Our story takes place in a truly ancient land, one of spiritual and carnal harmony, in the temples of Nara in Japan.
The ancient capital of Japan, Nara holds many temples from the 8th century that imperturbably give the holy capital its power.

OUR SHRINE | Ōmiwa Shrine in Nara is one of Japan’s oldest extant Shinto shrines. It is a tutelary shrine of the Japanese alcohol producers. Most well-known alcohol producer families are in Nara and these families have a centuries-old tradition of producing alcohol for Ōmiwa.
The alcohol produced by these families is served as blessings at Shinto temples.

OUR NAME | The Ōmiwa Shrine lies at the foot of Mount Miwa, a holy mountain guarded by the shrine. Mount Miwa has many legends, and has been worshiped from ancient times as a sacred Mountain of the God.
Inspired by beautiful breezes coming from the Mountain of the God, we named our whisky KAMIKI whereby “KAMI” means “GOD” and “IKI” means “BREATH”.

KAMIKI IS THE “THE FIRST WHISKY BRAND IN THE WORLD WITH JAPANESE CEDAR CASK FINISH” | Yoshino Sugi is considered to be the best wood for making local drink casks because of its scented refreshing flavor and wooden aroma. Our blend is rested for a second time in Yoshino Sugi casks to capture a perfectly smooth taste, a scent of sandalwood on the nose and a zest of green tea in the finish. This second maturation makes our whisky unique.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Green tea, cedar, buttered yeast rolls, honey, sandalwood and heather.
Palate:  Sweet and thick, plum, green tea, nutty toffee, a hint of banana nut bread.
Finish:  Moderately long, slightly drying with pepper and green tea.
Comments:  The palate on this reminds me a bit of plum wine (not that they’d be confused for one another, but definitely a similar sweetness). Another first for me – cedar casks, which definitely lent some lovely aromatics and complexity. This sample was from Batch No 002 (2019.05), and the label indicates it contains caramel color and is non-chill filtered. I’m not a fan of artificial coloring in whisk(e)y, but appreciate that it is called out on the label. Of the 5 Japanese whiskies I reviewed this season, this was by far my favorite – and I’d consider it a Must Try for enthusiasts looking for unique and different experiences. Again, appreciate the higher ABV and non-chill filtration. One package offering includes a masu cup and eye mask, which they recommend you to pour Kamiki in the cup (which to someone not familiar looks like a small wooden box), cover your eyes with the mask, breath deeply and imagine yourself in a cedar forest in Japan before you taste the whisky slowly and mindfully. I tried this, and the masu cup had a significant impact on the nosing experience – and really did bring out the cedar and other forest aromas. Sipping from the square cup wasn’t as nice (you need to point a corner towards your mouth, or learn as I did that your mouth may not be as wide as the opening!) More importantly, I didn’t get a lot of difference on the palate, but the nosing experience was night and day.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Umiki Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Umiki Whisky
Whisky Finished in Pine Barrels

46% ABV
$50
Website
Umiki Whisky
We would like to thank Umiki Whisky for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

OCEAN | Ocean is known as the source of life with its vast resources and placed in the heart of Japanese culture.

TREE | Pine tree is the symbol of life where gods believed to reside in and symbol of eternity in Japan with its long life…

WHISKY | To honor the life-giving ocean and the long-living pine tree that graces coasts of Japan, we blended pure desalinated ocean water with ocean side distilled Japanese malt whiskies and imported grain whiskies after finishing our curation in Japanese pine barrels.

TASTE | The sustainable process of UMIKI gives an exceptional smoothness to our whisky with sea-breeze on the nose, rounded floral taste on the palate and a soothing freshness in the finish.

NAME | Umiki is world’s first ocean fused whisky brand finished in Japanese pine barrels. This unique production technique also gave the name to UMIKI – Ocean tree whisky whereby “UMI” means “OCEAN” and “KI” means “TREE” in Japanese.

MISSION | Umiki is a sustainable whisky where we use only pure ocean water for blending. We are committed to share the value of living in harmony with our beautiful planet through the lifetime of Umiki.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft, pine sap with malted grain, earthy, sea air and a hint of brown sugar.
Palate:  Sweet entry with a soft mouthfeel, treacle, honey, slight pepper spice, anise and unripe pears.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with malt, pepper and honey.
Comments:  This is definitely unique – the first whisk(e)y I’ve ever had where pine barrels were used (that I know of)! The pine notes are more prominent on the nose, which reminds me of sipping a young malt whisk(e)y in a pine forest. It does taste young to me (non-age stated), but has enough unique character to keep me interested and sipping. I appreciate the higher ABV, and non-chill filtering as well. If there is variation from batch to batch, what I sampled was batch 2020.04.

Rating: Stands Out

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